Ensure your templates and business documents appear professional – as well as legally sound

Ensure you are confident with your payment rates and terms – and that you know how far you are willing to negotiate if necessary

Know how you would complete a project from beginning to end – including your personal drafting, writing and editing process

Being unprepared can harm your chances of securing ongoing work

Here’s a couple of key reasons why being unprepared can hinder your business:

You won’t appear as professional – if you don’t have your processes, templates and documents in order, you will be forced to create these as and when you need them – which will probably result in you appearing disorganised and unprofessional. Also, you might leave out key details that you actually do require – particularly when it comes to contracts, invoices and legal requirements

You won’t be able to work efficiently – you’ll save time by being organised and knowing exactly how you will run a project, but if you’re still fiddling about trying to invent an invoice or briefing template, you’ll waste valuable time – which translates to lost work hours and income

When I started out, I had no processes and templates.

I can’t really believe that I’m admitting this, but it’s true.

I was asked to do my first freelance job – a press release for a wellbeing professional – and I got stuck.

I realised that I’d actually never thought about the nitty gritty of completing a project from beginning to end – apart from the actual writing stage.

I hadn’t created any templates for invoices or contracts. I had no briefing document.

And when the client asked me about my terms and processes, I had no idea what to say.

So what do you think I did?

I basically made everything up on the spot.

I’m fairly certain I came across confused, frazzled and lacking in overall confidence.

To put it another way – I wouldn’t have hired me. Because it was clear that I didn’t really know what my processes were.

Think about when you’re hiring a plumber. If you call him and ask him his fee, whether he will accept a cash payment or how long he’ll take to do the job and he sounds uncertain – like he doesn’t know what his rates are, how long the job will take and whether or not he can actually get it done – you probably wouldn’t hire him.

As a freelance writer, you’re in a similar situation. You’re offering your clients a service. So, like any service professional, you need to know exactly what that service encompasses.

Miraculously, I was given that first press release writing job – and I completed it, but I wasted a lot of time (which translates to unpaid hours) doing so – and I probably didn’t make the best impression.

And here’s the other thing: making a good impression is vital to your long-term success. It’s not just about completing a job and getting paid. You want to be the best type of freelancer you can be, because this is what’s going to be most beneficial for your long-term career prospects – and help you produce high-quality work.

So, after my first disastrous experience, I decided to put everything on hold and get my business documents in order.

What being prepared means

Preparation equals confidence. As both a writer and a business owner, you do need to radiate confidence at all times.

Your first clients should feel as if they are your fiftieth clients. It’s important to give them confidence in your abilities and reassurance that you’re operating a professional health writing service – one that can deliver exactly what they are asking of you. This is not ‘faking it until you make it’. This is about being confident and prepared.

It’s also about believing in yourself and knowing your limits – which is often the line between being authentic and agreeing to take on work that’s beyond your capabilities.

If you are prepared and confident, your projects are more likely to run smoothly. Your clients will be more likely to have a positive experience working with you, recommend you to others, give you a positive testimonial and hire you again.

This means that before you start to look for work, you should consider being ready to go with the following elements of your business:

Processes and workflows – including how you work most effectively – even down to little details like letting clients know that you prefer feedback sent via the track changes functionality in Word (believe me, this can make or break hours of your time!)

Templates and documents – this includes contracts, terms and conditions, invoices, briefs, proposals, and email templates – as well as other less common templates

Equipment – computer, mobile, software and apps are just the beginning

Accounting – how will you manage your invoices and expenses, and do you know your local tax laws?

Structuring your day – including tracking your time for your writing projects

I’d love to know: If you’re just starting out – have you considered all of these things? And if you have been working as a freelance writer for a while – do you have all of these in order?

If you want to feel confident that you have everything you need in place to get started when those clients do come knocking, take a look at my How To Become A Freelance Health Writer online course.

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About Michelle Guillemard

Michelle has been blogging about health writing since 2013. She also teaches health writing courses and runs workshops on effective healthcare communication. Outside of Health Writer Hub, Michelle serves as President of the Australasian Medical Writers Association and works as a freelance health writer. Michelle is passionate about creating better health outcomes and changing lives through high-quality health writing.